Chili cooked with bourbon.

[Dannabis]

Friday and saturday I made a nice batch of my own homestyle chili.

I work off of my basic method & my starter recipe or mire poix sorta thing and then adapt that.

I've made various styles of chili with my basic method

but they generally all include meat and beans and sometimes vegetables.

I haven't done all meat nor all bean nor vegetarian chili yet, but I think that I could whip a batch if the desire struck me.

This expression of my chili was a high meat recipebill, featuring beef in both 80%lean and 85%lean, Chicken and Turkey both allegedly with reduced fat somehow. Myself I usually prefer less lean options for their flavor but this was what I selected this time.

The bean content was lean at a can of dark kidney and a can of red kidney beans.

Normally I include a healthy serving of black beans, and sometimes pinto or navy beans but I believed I had black beans at home when I secured my ingredients.

I used 4 jalapenos, destemmed and deseeded. I tend to use 3 but I think I normally make a smaller amount.

While I cooking the meat I poured into it a cup of Old Grand Dad BIB.

In fact the bourbon note is very subtle. It is just a hint in the savory meat. It is a mote in space.

In future recipes I will attempt more experiments and more minimal recipes in order to understand how to flesh out and complement the bourbon flavors.

[squire]

I would try that but might make a mistake and pour the cup of Bourbon into me.

[Hawg73]

I like the idea of the bourbon. I have added tequila in the past, but next time will try the bourbon.

[sutton]

Nice idea - both the bourbon and the tequila.

(BTW - anyone reading this who has never cooked with a high proof spirit, please pour the amount you want to add into a separate glass, pull the pot off the stove and away from the flame - and add. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but I worked in a restaurant kitchen in my younger days and saw someone get seriously hurt adding from the bottle and that image has stuck with me all of these years).

[mosugoji64]

I made a pot of chili with bourbon about 1.5 years ago that was very good. The chili I make is Texas style - very thick and usually with only meat, beans, and onions. IIRC, I added a cup of bourbon to the pot as it began to simmer rather than during cooking. Think I used some Kirkland/Beam but don't remember for sure. The bourbon flavor was detectable but not overpowering and made for a tasty bowl. That said, I think I prefer to use beer when whipping up a batch.

[fishnbowljoe]

My son and his family are coming over for supper later. I was asked to make chili. No bourbon in mine because of the grandkids.:crazy: However, my son and I will probably have a beer or two, and I'm pretty sure some bourbon will be poured at some time during the evening.:grin:

Cheers! Joe

[Bourbon Boiler]

Nice idea - both the bourbon and the tequila.

(BTW - anyone reading this who has never cooked with a high proof spirit, please pour the amount you want to add into a separate glass, pull the pot off the stove and away from the flame - and add. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but I worked in a restaurant kitchen in my younger days and saw someone get seriously hurt adding from the bottle and that image has stuck with me all of these years).

Always good to point out safety, no matter what the topic. Thanks for sharing.

[Richnimrod]

I've used Bourbon in several sauces and gravies, where it leaves more of it's character, as a rule.

In chili, where the flavors are rather more potent and pretty well-mingled, I sometimes use gin (a juniper-forward one). I find the gin does a similar job to a couple bay-leaves, but leaves a more identifiable aroma, as well as flavor. It isn't always what I want, especially when making a 'cumin' style chili rather than a chili powder one. Just a variation that I happen to like once in a while.

[Vadertime]

I once did crock pot ribs with frozen ribs in which I added a healthy amount of JD/JBB and bbq sauce. For some reason the ribs absorbed the alcohol which made for some very unique tasting delicious ribs!

[zillah]

Hey, who told you my secret ingredient!? :grin:

[Ejmharris]

My normal chili is made with 2 cups of coffee and 2 cups of either a stout or IPA. Honestly the IPA is better. I didn't have either so I used 3 cups of coffee and about a cup of OC10. It was fantastic.

[Special Reserve]

I'm thinking chili with a bourbon side.